hanington



Patented Apr. I8, |899.

C. F. HANINGTUN.

SPRING HINGE.

(Application filed July 2B, 1898.)

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IINTTED STATES- PATENT Y'rrr-(2in.

CHARLES F. I'IANINGTON, OF NET YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH HUGHES, OF SAME PLACE.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,367', dated April 18, 1899.

Application filed July 28,1898. Serial No. 687.100. (No model.)

fo all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HANING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring- IIinges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in spring-hinges.

My improved spring -hinge is especially adapted for use in connection with a door provided with a checking device, though manifestly it is not limited to such use, but may be employed in connection with any type or style of door, gate, or other closing device.

The particular feature of novelty in my improved spring-hinge is the provision of an operating-spring combined with means of any character whatever by which when the door is opened and the operating-spring placed under increased tension the movement of the door to its full open position does not result in a corresponding effect upon the spring. In other words,my improved spring-hinge is so arranged that during a portion of the opening movement of the door the spring will be placed under increased tension, but during any further movement of the door toward its open position the spring will be maintained under such tension without, however, exerting any force tending to close the door. 4lVhen, however, in the closing of the door the latter is moved to that position at which in opening the further compression of the spring ceases, the spring will be automatically released and will exert its tension in the closing of the door. This fundamental and underlying feature of novelty in my invention results in thc production of a spring-hinge having manifest practical advantages. I have observed that in a very large majority of cases a person passing through a doorway opens the door only to about one-half of its extent of movement. In the first place, then, with my improved spring-hinge I provide a device which under the normal conditions of operation makes use of an operating-spring of only the required size, instead of, as is now the case, providing a spring of a sufficient capacity to to which I have referred may be so arranged that after the spring has been placed under tension and retained in that condition and when the door has been thus moved beyond its normal extent it'will remain in'that position, there being no tendency for it to close. In some instances this would be desirable, as will be obvious. Instead, however, of employing such an arrangement I make use of a second or supplementary spring, which comes into play when the door is moved beyond its normal extent, and which may exert upon the door only sufficient stress to move the door toits normal position, at which point the main spring comes into use for effecting the final closing movement. l/Vhen a main and supplementary spring are thus employed, the device possesses the manifest advantage that a main spring is used so adjusted and of such size as will be adapted to close the door from its normal position, while the supplementary spring very seldom comes into play, and when it does operate serves only to move the door from an abnormal to the normal open position. Preferably my improved spring-hinge is so arranged that when a secondary spring is used its tension may be adjusted in a very simple and convenient manner. By preference also I provide the main operating-spring with an adjusting device comprising a worm-wheel and worm such as I have described and claimed in application for Letters Patentexecuted simultaneously herewith, filed July 28, 1898, and numbered serially 687,099, by which a very delicate and accurate adjustment of the spring may be effected. I prefer also to arrange the operating spring or springs and their cooperating elements entirely within the hinge-barrel, whereby a very neat and attractive device is secured. Vith such a spring-hinge I prefer to make use of my improved door-check, which I describe and claim i in my application for Letters Patent led on the 26th day of March, 1898, and numbered serially 675,253. Such a door-check is so arranged that all the parts are concealedin the hinge-barrel, so that by applying one of my ilnproved checks to the lower hinge and one of my improved spring-hinges to the upper hinge, or vice versa, a very effective combination of devices is secured, which will be entirely concealed from view and which,therefore, will not in any way mar the appearance of the door.

In carrying out my invention I place within the hinge-barrel a main operating-spring, preferably a coiled spring, which may surround the pintle. One end of this spring is connected to an adjusting device by which its tension may be regulated, which adjusting device is carried by one of the elements of the hinge, such as the stationary leaf. I also mount within the hinge-barrel and preferably upon the pintle a collar, to which the other end of the operating-springis secured. This collar is normally locked to the hinge-barrel by means of a locking pawl or latch, so that in the opening of the door the relative movement of the barrel with respect to the pintle and stationary leaf rotates the said collar and places the operating-spring under increased tension. I prefer to carry upon or in connection with a relatively stationary element within the hinge-barrel, such as the pintle, a stop with which the said pawl or -latch comes into'engagement and by which the said pawl or latch will be tripped, so as to release the collar when the door has moved to its normal extent. In order to prevent the collar thus released from immediately partaking of a reverse movement under the effect of the operating-spring, I provide a second pawl or latch, which is carried by a relatively stationary element, or if by a movable element by the same element to which the lower end of the spring is secured-such, for example,

as by a collar fast to the pintle-which second.

pawl when carried by a collar fast to the pint-le is adapted to be released bya cam on the movable element to engage with a shoulder on the first-mentioned collar, to which the upper end of the spring is secured, such engagement taking place immediately before the said collar istripped by the first pawl or latch, whereby the said collar will be locked against reverse movement and the spring thus placed under tension will be' maintained in that condition, its upper and lower ends being thus locked to the same element of the hinge. \Vhenasecondaryspringis employed, I prefer to arrange the same in the upper part of thehinge-barrel between a relatively movable and a relatively fixed collar and preferably between a collar fast to the hingebarrel to which one end of the secondary spring is attached and which will be movable therewith and a collar adapted to engage 'cess l5 in said sleeve.

with the stationary leaf, so as to be maintained in a fixed position and to which the other end of said secondary spring is attached. The special constructions and operations of these devices which comprise the preferred embodiment of my invention will be more particularlypointed out hereinafter and claimed.

In order that my invention may be better understood,attention is directed to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specication, and in which- Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, showing the operating-spring placed under its normal tension, the pawls having operated to release the upper end of said spring from the hinge-barrel and to connect it to the pintle; Fig. 2, a similar view from theopposite side, showing the construction and arrangement of the pawl or latch for locking the upper end of the main operatin g-sprin g to the hinge-barrel in the preliminary movements of the door; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of the collar on the pintle and to which the upper end of the operating-spring is secured.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of reference.

1 represents the stationary leaf, and 2 the movable leaf. The stationary leaf is provided at the top and bottom with ears orlugs 3 and 4, in which the pintle 5 is mounted. The movable leaf 2 is provided with the barrel (i, mounted upon the pintle in any suitable way-as, for example, by a collar 7, secured to said barrel and movable upon the pintle, by a disk 8 at its upper end, movable with respect to the barrel and pintle, and by a shoulder 9 on the lug or ear 4 and on which the lower end of the barrel is rotatably mounted. Any usual and desired means may be employed for centering the barrel relatively to the pintle. i

l0 is the main operating-spring, which is preferably a heavy coiled spring and which at its lower end is connected to any suitable adjusting device. Preferably this adjusting device comprises a worm-wheel ll, to which the lower end of the spring 10 is secured, and a worm l2, meshing with and rotating said worm-wheel, such as I have described and claimed in my said application for Letters Patent. The worm-wheelll may be provided with a sleeve 13, fitting within the lug or ear 4, longitudinal movement of said worm-wheel being prevented by a screw le engaging a re- The worm l2 is provided outside of the lug or ear et with a square or rectangular winding-head, with which any suitable key may engage. Preferably the ornamental knob 1G, which is screwed on the lower end of-the pintle, is provided with a square or rectangular recess 17, adapted to engage over said winding-head for the purpose of rotating the worm when adjustment of the operating-springis desired. By using.

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'a worm-wheel and worm for effecting this adjustment the tension of the operating-spring may be very delicately and accurately regulated, and such adjustment will be retained without the necessity of other and special locking devices. The upper end of the spring 10 is secured to a collar 18, movable with respect to both the pintle and barrel. This collar may be provided with a depending sleeve 19,which will be interposed between the spring and pintle, as shown. The collar 18 is adapted to be normally locked to the hinge-barrel, so that when the hinge-barrel is rotated in the opening of the door the upper end of the spring` will be moved relatively to its lower end, and the spring will be thus placed under tension. This normal locking of the collar 18 to the barrel is preferably secured by means of a pawl or latch 20, carried on the collar 7,which, as before stated, is fast to the barrel. The said pawl or latch 2O is curved, as shown in Fig. .3, so as to be concentric with the barrel. The lower end of the pawl 2O is provided with a locking-head 2l, which engages a recess in the collar 18, this engagement being normally effectedvby means of a spring 23, which presses down the free end of said pawl or latch. The pawl or latch 2O is adapted to be tripped, so as to release its locking-head from the recess 22 in anysuit-able way- 21s, for example, by means of a pin 24, carried on a collar 25, which is keyed or otherwise secured tothe stationary pint-le, said pin working with respect to an inclined surface 26 on said pawl or latch to elevate the same. It will thus be seen that in the opening movement of the door the barrel will be partly rotated, carrying the pawl or latch 20 with it, and the engagement between the locking-head 21 and the recess 22 will partially rotate the collar 18 to place the main operating-spring under increased tension,'but that when the door has been opened to its normal extent the inclined face 2G of the pawlengages the pin 24, so as to elevate the pawl and release the collar 18 from its connection with the barrel. In order to prevent the said collar 18 from immediately partaking of a reverse movement under the effect of the spring, I make use of a second pawl or latch 27, connected to the same element to which the lower end of the spring is connected, which second pawl will engage the collar 18, whereby the spring will be maintained under tension, but will be entirely disconnected between the two elements of the hinge. The said second pawlis adapted to come into play to so lock the collar 18 immediately before the pawl or latch 20 is released. The pawl or latch 27 is pivoted to a lug 28, carried by the collar 25, and is therefore stationary with the pintle and stationary leaf. rlhe pawl or latch 27 is provided with a locking-head 29, which normally works in a groove SO, formed in the upperoutersurface of thecollar 18, but is adapted to engage in a depression 31 in said groove when the said collar 18 requires to be locked to the pintle. A leaf-spring 32 normally presses the locking-head 29 toward the wall of the grooove 30 and forces the said locking-head into the recess 31 when the'two are coincident-'t'. c., when the movement of the door has moved the collar 18 so as to bring the recess 31 into line with said locking-head. The pawl L7I is extended at its rear end beyond its pivotal connection with the lng 28 and is formed with an inclined cam-surface 33,adapt ed to engage a corresponding surface 34 on the inside of the hinge-barrel, such engagement releasing the locking-head of said pawl from the recess 31 when the door returns to its normal open position. The hinge-barrel is preferably cutaway at 35 opposite the pawl 27 in order that the parts may be reached when desired, which opening will be covered by a concentric portion 3G, normally screwed in place by means ot' screws 37. The space 35 which is thus cut away allows the freeor rear end of the pawl 27 to move therein without affecting the locking engagement between the head 29 and the recess 31 while the door is moved beyond its normal position.

In the drawings I illustrate my improved spring-hinge as comprising also a secondary or auxiliary spring 38, mounted in the upper part of the barrel for moving the door from an abnormal to itsnormal closed position. As before stated, this spring is not strictly necessary and may oftentimes be dispensed with with profit when it is desired to obtain .a spring-hinge by which thedoor may be left in afullopen position. The secondary spring 38 shown is connected at its lowerl end to the collar 7 and at its upper end to a collar 39, said upper end passing through the movable disk 8 when used. The collar 39 is movable with respect to both the pintle and the barrel. The said collar is preferably provided with a series of screw-threaded openings 40, into any one ot' which a screw 41 is adapted to be engaged. This screw is arranged to come into engagement with a portion of the stationary leaf when the barrel has been moved beyond its normal position, which engagement will place the secondary spring under sufficient tension to enable it to move the door to its normal position.

The preferred em bodiment of my invention thus described and shown will operate as follows: The locking-head 21 of the pawl 2O will normally engage the recess 22 in the collar 18. The locking-head 29 of the pawl 27 will normally lie in the groove 30, being maintained in that position by the engagement between its rear end-and the inner wall of the barrel. Upon opening the door the barrel will be moved relatively to the pintle. This movement causes the collar 18 to be partialiy rotated to place the spring 10 under the desired tension. Then the door has moved to its normal position, the surface 38 of the pawl 27'will clear the surface 3ft of the barrel to allow said pawl to be moved with the spring 32 and force the locking-head 29 into the re- IOO IIO

cess 3l. While this movement is taking place on the part of the pawl 27, the inclined surface 26 of the pawl 2O will be in engagement with the pin 24, so that an instant after the pawl 27 is locked to the collar 1S the pawl 2O will be released from its engagement with said collar. In this position, therefore, the upper end of the spring 10 will be locked to the pintle, and since the lower end of said spring is also locked to said pin tle the spring will be maintained under its tension, but will be entirely disconnected from the barrel, so that if no secondary spring is used the door can then be moved beyond the normal position and there will be no tendency on its part to close. If, however, a secondary spring is used, as is sometimes preferable, the rota- .tion of the barrel will through said secondary spring tend to rotate'the collar 39 until the screw 4l engages the stationary leaf, at which time further rotation of said collar 39 is'prevented. This engagement may take place either simultaneously with the release of the collar 1S from the barrel or some time before such release. In this way the further movements of the door beyond the normal position will wind up the secondary spring 38, whereby the secondary spring 3S will return the door to its normal position. As the door approaches its normal position the inclined surface 26 of the pawl 2O will ride down on the pin 24 and allow the locking-head 2l to engage the recess 22 in the collar 18. An instant after that engagement takes place the cam-surface 83 of the pawl 27 will engage the cam-surface 34, so as to release the lockinghead' 29 from the recess 3l, whereby the main operating-spring will once more be connected to the barrel and the tension of that spring will then be exerted in the elosin g of the door.

Having now described my invention, what` I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. In a spring-hinge, the combination with the movable and stationary leaves, of an operating-spring connected permanently to one of said leaves, means for connecting the other end of said spring normally to the other of said leaves, means for releasing such engagement, and means positively controlled by the movement of the leaves and operating independently of the spring for locking the disengaged end of the operating-spring to the same hin ge-leaf to which its other end is permanently attached, substantially as set forth.

2. In a spring-hinge, the combination with the movable and stationary leaves, of an operating-spring connected permanently to one of said leaves, means for connecting the other end of said spring normally to the other of said leaves, means for releasing such engagement, and means automatically acting immediately before such disengagement t-o lock the disengaged end of the operating-spring to the samehinge-leaf to Which its other end is permanently attached, substantially as set forth.

3. In a spring-hinge, the combination with collar from such engagement when the door.-

has moved to a normal extent, and means for locking said collar to the same leaf to which the fixed end of the spring is permanently secured, substantially as set forth.

4. In a spring-hinge, the combination With 'the two leaves, of a main operating-spring having one of its ends permanently secured to one of said leaves, a collar to which the other end of said spring is secured, means for locking said collar to the other of said hingeleaves, means for releasing said collar from such engagement when the door has moved to a normal extent, and means automatically acting immediately before such disengagement to lock said collar to the same leaf to which the'xed end of the spring is permanently secured, substantially as set forth.

5. .In a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and' movable leaves, oi a main operating-spring connected to one of said leaves, a collar connected to the other end of said spring, a pawl for normally locking said collar to the other leaf, means for disengaging said pawl, a second pawl for locking said collar to the same leaf to which the fixed end of said spring is permanently secured, and means for engaging said second pawl with said collar immediately before the rst pawlis released therefrom, substantially as set forth. g

G. In a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of a main operating-spring having one of its ends secured to one of said leaves, a collar to which the other end of said spring` is secured, a pawl for normally locking said collar to the other of said leaves, means for disengaging said pawl when the door has been moved to its normal extent, a second pawl connected to the leaf to which the operating-spring is permanently secured, means for engaging said second pawl with said collar immediately before the rst pawl is released therefrom,means for engaging the first pawl with said collar upon the return movement, and means for disengaging the second pawl from said collar immediately after the rengagement of the first pawl, substantially as set forth.

7. In a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of a main operating-spring having one of its ends secured to the stationary leaf, the movable leaf carrying a hinge-barrel inclosing the operating-spring, means for normally engaging the upper end of the spring with the barrel, means f or releasing the engagement between the upper end of said spring and the barrel when the door has moved to a normal extent, and

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means forlocking the upper end of said spring to the stationary leaf immediately before the said spring is disengaged from the hinge-barrel, substantially as set forth.

S. ln a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of an operatingspring `having its lower end permanently secured to the stationary leaf, the movable leaf carrying a binge-barrel inclosing said spring, a collar to which the upper end of said spring is secured, a pawl mov- 'able with the barrel and normally engaging said collar to place the operating-spring under tension, means for disengaging said pawl when the door has been moved to a normal extent, a second and stationary pawl, and means for engaging said stationary pawl with said collar immediately before the movable pawl is disengaged therefrom, substantially as set forth.

9. ln a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of an operating-spring permanently secured to the stationary leaf, the movable leaf carrying a hinge-barrel inclosing said spring, a stationary pintle, a collar movable on said pintle and to which the upper end of said spring is secured, a pawl movable with the barrel and normally engaging said collar to place the spring under tension, means for disengaging said pawl when the door has moved to its normal extent, a second pawl stationary with said pintle, and means forengaging said pawl with said collar to lock the same to the pin tle immediately before the movable pawl is disengaged from said collar, substantially as set forth. Y

l0. Inaspring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of an operating-spring permanently secured to the stationary leaf, the movable leaf carryinga hinge-barrel inclosing said spring, a stationary pintle, a collar movable on said pintle and to which, the upper end of said spring is secured, a pawl movable with the barrel and normally engaging said collar to place the spring under tension, means for disengaging said pawl when the doorhas moved to its normal extent, a second pawl stationary with said pintle, means for engaging said pawl with said collar to lock the same to the pintle immediately before the movable pawl is disengaged from said collar, and interfering cam-sections on the stationary pawl and barrel for releasing the stationary pawl immediately after the reengagement of the movable paWl with said collar upon the return movement of the door, substantially as set forth.

ll. In a spring-hinge, the combination with a stationary and a movable leaf, of an operating-spring having its lower end permanently secured to the stationary leaf, the movable leaf carrying a hinge-barrel inclosing said spring,l a stationary pintle, acollar movable on said pintle and to which the upper end of said spring is connected, a pawl carried by said barrel and normally engaging said collar to place the spring under tension, a stationary pin with which said pawl engages for releasing the pawl when the door has moved to its normal extent, a second pawl.

stationary with the pintle for engaging said collar immediately before the disengagement of the rst pawl, and interfering cam portions on the stationary pawl and barrel for releasing said pawl immediately after the reengagement of the movable pawl with the said collar, substantially as set forth.

l2. In a spring-hinge, the combination of the stationary and movable leaves, a main operating-spring normally connecting the said leaves, meansfor throwing said spring out of action when the door has been moved to a normal extent, and a secondary spring coperating with said leaves for moving the door from an abnormal to a normal position, substantially as set forth.

13. In a spring-hinge, the combination with the stationary and movable leaves, of a4 main operating-spring normally connecting said leaves, means for disengaging said spring from the movable leaf when the door has moved to an abnormal extent, a secondary spring connecting the two leaves and placed under tension by the movement of the door to an abnormal position whereby the said secondary spring returns the door to its normal position, and means for automatically rengaging the main operating-spring with the movable leaf when the doorhas returned to its normal position, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of July, 1898.

CHARLES F. HANINGTON.

Vitnesses:

JNO. R. TAYLOR, A RcHIE G. Rnnsn.

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